Jatropha curcas, a biofuel crop: functional genomics for understanding metabolic pathways and genetic improvement.

Jatropha curcas is currently attracting much attention as an oilseed crop for biofuel, as Jatropha can grow under climate and soil conditions that are unsuitable for food production. However, little is known about Jatropha, and there are a number of challenges to be overcome. In fact, Jatropha has not really been domesticated; most of the Jatropha accessions are toxic, which renders the seedcake unsuitable for use as animal feed. The seeds of Jatropha contain high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which negatively impact the biofuel quality. Fruiting of Jatropha is fairly continuous, thus increasing costs of harvesting. Therefore, before starting any improvement program using conventional or molecular breeding techniques, understanding gene function and the genome scale of Jatropha are prerequisites. This review presents currently available and relevant information on the latest technologies (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics) to decipher important metabolic pathways within Jatropha, such as oil and toxin synthesis. Further, it discusses future directions for biotechnological approaches in Jatropha breeding and improvement.

Mapping of fruit allergens by 2D electrophoresis and immunodetection.

Proteomic analyses of fruits are confronted with a series of specific obstacles: a general low protein content in plant tissues, allergen extraction from highly complex matrices and protein determination in the presence of interfering compounds. Different methods are currently being introduced to achieve higher protein yields and a simultaneous removal of interfering substances, such as polyphenols and polysaccharides. However, no universal protocol suitable for protein purification from any given plant species is available. Protein profiling by 2DE-western blotting offers a powerful tool for the detection and characterization of known and novel plant allergens. Moreover, the detection of IgE-reactive proteins from fruits is improved by combining western blot and alternative visualization techniques. The recent developments in bioinformatics and databases facilitate the interpretation of profiling studies with regard to novel potential fruit allergens.